Updates finally occurred. Going through that tough stage of writers block where you know the rough plot but man is it difficult to get there. Only a short one I'm afraid folks.
Chapter 9:
Hopper should have realised that Steve wouldn't sleep easily. He spent half the night by the sofa, calming Steve. There wasn't any screaming, any wailing. There were silent tears, soft whimpers. There was Steve biting down on his lip so hard that it bled. None of those things had woken Hopper. What had woken him up was the cold. Hopper knew it got cold at night, especially in winter. But the five-degree drop woke him up with a start. He half expected to find Steve shivering, instead he found a Steve trapped in a nightmare that was the source of the cold. Steve didn't wake up once. Hopper heard words, murmurs that sent shivers up his spine. Hopper made it until seven before he decided enough was enough and left the cabin. He left a note for Jane and Steve before hoping into his Beamer. The drive to the Harrington's was long. It wasn't normally but Hopper felt like he was moving in slow motion. He knocked sharply on their door.
"Yes?" James Harrington asked, glaring at whoever was knocking that early. Hopper shifted, feeling uncomfortable.
"Mr Harrington, we need to talk about Steve." He said firmly. James rolled his eyes.
"What's he done now?" James asked. Hopper resisted the urge to simply punch the man, tell him Steve was staying with him and move on.
"Nothing." Hopper said firmly. "He hasn't done a single thing wrong."
"So then why are you here?" James asked, an edge to his voice.
"Tell me Mr Harrington, do you think it's okay to hit your own child?" Hopper asked, a dangerous edge to his voice. James Harrington glared.
"What's he saying? That I hit him?" James snapped back. "It'll do the boy some good."
"No. It won't." Hopper said firmly. "That boy is hurting, you hurt him."
"Nothing the freak didn't deserve." James said dismissively. Hopper resisted the urge to punch the man. To beat the crap out of him.
"James? James what's going on?" Adelaide asked, creeping up to join her husband.
"Steven said we hit him like he didn't deserve it." James said through gritted teeth. Adelaide's eyes widened.
"Oh no Chief, Steve just requires a bit of discipline sometimes that's all." She said quickly.
"Not the amount of damage you're doing." Hopper shot back.
"Where is Steven?" Adelaide asked, eyeing Hopper's car as if Steve would jump out.
"He's safe." Hopper said. James rolled his eyes.
"Good. Well tell him he can stay in 'safe'. I've had it with his shit." He said. Hopper nodded.
"I'll pass along the message." He started to leave when he heard them whispering.
"I told you we should have just left him with Doctor Brenner." James muttered.
Ten seconds. Ten seconds was all it took for Hopper to turn around, march back to the house and punch James Harrington clean in the face. The man dropped to the floor and snapped about calling the police.
"Too bad asshole. I am the police." Hopper said, storming back to his car.